The advanced course in Biomedical Imaging, organised by the UT Austin Portugal Program and the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra (FMUC), is back for the third edition. The initiative remains the same – there are 12 online sessions, 60 hours of training and a panel of more than 30 national and international experts; however, this year’s edition brings a new aspect: the inclusion of a module on Dosimetry. Participants must have basic knowledge and skills in biomedical sciences and may obtain 10 credits from the University if they intend to take the final assessment. The first registration phase has already started and ends on April 2.
Pre- or postgraduate students, healthcare professionals, biomedical engineers, physical engineers, physicists, researchers, physicians, nurses, and medical imaging or radiotherapy technicians can join the third edition of the course promoted by UT Austin Portugal Program and FMUC.
It is an advanced training that aims to present an overview of the main imaging methodologies used in biomedicine, provide knowledge to understand biomedical imaging techniques and explore their potential as a vital tool for the study of biological systems in research environments; it also aims to explore the challenges of this area in a clinical environment. Like last year’s edition, the course includes sessions on Artificial Intelligence and Data Science with application to biomedical imaging.
Starting on April 4, the course runs until May 24. In all, there are 60 hours divided into 12 sessions, which will take place every Thursday and Friday, focusing on theoretical and practical content. Topics will be presented by renowned experts in Biomedical Imaging, and range from Proton Therapy, Optical Imaging, Radiology and Mammography, Microscopy and Ultrasonography, Computed Tomography, Magnetic Resonance, Nuclear Medicine, and Radiotherapy, to other areas like multimodal systems.
Andreia Passos, Executive Director of the UT Austin Portugal Program, stated the third edition of the course comes after two extremely successful editions, which reveals the interest of the scientific and medical community not only in the theme, but also in the syllabus. In addition, the course presents a differentiating character: by bringing together national and North American experts, it allows the exchange of experiences between experts from Portugal and the University of Texas at Austin (including the MD Anderson Cancer Center), as well as from Germany, through the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ). In addition, the scientific coordination relies on the knowledge and experience of Maria Filomena Botelho, director of the Medical Physics area of the UT Austin Portugal Program and professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Coimbra. “By challenging the scientific and medical community to participate in this training, we also seek to promote discussion around the recent advances in Biomedical Imaging, providing opportunities for the development of new interdisciplinary and international projects”, she said.
Maria Filomena Botelho considers that the success of previous editions demonstrates the community’s interest in the advances observed in the field of Biomedical Imaging. “The partnership with the UT Austin Portugal Program has been a remarkable asset in promoting new frontiers of knowledge, essentially through the involvement of major national and international experts who collaborate with the Program”, she mentioned.
The course ensures 10 ECTS credit units at the University of Coimbra if the attendance and assessment requirements are met. Registration is open on the Program’s website.
